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BEGINNING OF THE END

BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY HER FATHER AND HIS FIANCÉE WAS NOT ON BILLIE'S SUMMER BUCKET LIST.

When she first came to, she was surrounded by the walls of what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse. She could've laughed at the fact that this was turning out to be just like a scary movie, but it was easy to laugh when they weren't the main star of said scary movie.

No, Billie Burbank was the starring role, and she was seriously regretting not jumping from the balcony instead.

Blinking the bleariness from her eyes, her gaze settled on something red— someone. Fiery red hair stood in contrast to the dusty greys of the warehouse, in addition to fiery crimson eyes that made her stomach churn. A lightbulb went off in her mind as she stared at the woman a few feet in front of her, recalling Embry's words to her from what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"We've been hunting this redhead for a while now, 'cause she tried to kill Bella, but she disappeared a couple weeks ago. We're still trying to track her."

How many other redheaded vampires who looked like purebred killers were running around this close to Forks? It had to be the same woman, her mind supplied.

Doors opening and closing sounded off to the left, her head snapping towards it attentively. She saw her father and Kate sauntering into the room, her father's huge smile directed at her. "Hey kiddo— how are you feeling?"

He couldn't be serious right now, could he? She pulled her hand, the metal chain attached to her wrist clanking onto the ground. "You kidnapped me," she deadpanned, taking note of how the chain was attached to the pole her back was leaning against. "I'm not doing well, asshole."

Anger on his face instantly, and Kate was quick to put a hand on his bicep. "Is that any way to talk to your father?" she asked with a tsk, before gesturing to the redheaded woman, "and in front of our guest, no less?"

The redheaded woman took that as her cue to start approaching Billie, which in turn caused the blonde girl to press herself further against the metal pole at her back. The mystery woman crouched before her, taking her chin in her fingers and tilting her head sideways.

"And you're sure this is her?" she asked, and even though she was analyzing Billie's face, she was speaking to the other two adults who'd taken her.

"Positive," Vincent answered firmly, arms crossed over his chest, "just like we said, Victoria. Now; can we get what we agreed upon?"

The redhead paused, thinking. But Billie could see right through the facade she put on, just in time for another figure to jump down from the ceiling behind Vincent and Kate.

Within an instant, the woman let got of her hold on Billie which made her head swing towards the sudden commotion coming from her left. It was like an ambush, the new figure at the scene fighting against Vincent and Kate. The duo seemed weaker in comparison to the figure, a vampire no doubt, until all that was left was the crunching of human bones.

The blonde thought she was going to be sick when she was the two adults crumpled on the floor, and she didn't have to have heightened senses to know that they were dead. Their heads lulled to the side, the mystery figure pressing his face into their necks to fully drain them of their life force.

Billie didn't like Vincent, she never had, but at the end of the day, he was still her father. Once upon a time he had loved her mother, had stuck by her during their youth, until he just couldn't do it anymore. He wasn't ready to be a dad, but he sure as hell was ready to ruin her life.

She choked down a whimper, but the sound of it getting caught in her throat was still enough to alert the redheaded woman in front of her.

The figure stayed where they were, but all Billie could focus on was her own erratic breathing and the taunting smile on the woman's face. "They were fanatics," Victoria started with a mock sigh, "so hungry for power that they willingly gave you to me. Sad, isn't it?"

It was making sense now; Vincent and Kate wanted to become vampires, that was why they kept asking her questions. And when she failed, they waged a bargain with a woman they knew was also looking for someone like Billie.

Billie in exchange for the bite.

"Why?" she all but cried out, yanking on the chain around her wrist as she pointedly avoided staring at the heap of destruction to her left. She didn't know what she was asking for, only that she had a million unanswered questions. "I'm really not special, I promise you."

Victoria shrugged, almost nonchalantly. "I'm a girl who wants revenge, Billie," she stated, tilting her head as she brushed the girl's matted hair away from her shoulders to reveal her neck, "and if that doesn't work out, I have you— you're my leverage."

Billie couldn't play chess, but damn, she knew she was a pawn on Victoria's chess board. But she didn't know what the plays were, didn't know her plans of attack. Didn't know about the newborn army that Victoria was using as a decoy for her real route to exacting revenge.

"I can't do much, honest," Billie pleaded, eyes searching for any hint of hesitation in the woman's gaze— but she found none, and the panic seemed to creep deeper into her chest, burrowing. "I'm not who you're looking for."

Victoria shook her head. "You're exactly who I'm looking for, actually," she told the human girl. "I'm the only person who knows where you are; if I die, the Cullens would never find you— and they will want to find you. You've made me untouchable, so thank you."

Victoria pat her head and it made Billie cringe away from her touch. "They'll find me anyways," she said, though her voice wobbled with uncertainty, and she hoped the redhead didn't catch on. "Alice will see, they'll come for me!"

Though Billie's voice began to raise, her stomach dropped at a sudden intrusive thought. Bella hadn't told her about Victoria, Embry had. Would the Cullens even care that she had Billie hostage— would Alice even bat an eye if she saw what was happening in a vision?

And if the pack had yet to find the redhead on their own, who's to say that they could even find Billie?

The panic was full blown, her chest heaving as she urged to scratch at the side of her neck. The chain wasn't long enough, and even that alone made her want to sob even more than she already found herself doing.

"Oh, I doubt she'll see," Victoria brushed off, yanking Billie upright as she stood. "You could say this is all just a... spur of the moment decision."

And somewhere in Forks, at this very moment, Bella Swan was regretting withholding everything from Billie. Perhaps if she knew, her friend would've had a better shot at escaping with her life.

That was wishful thinking, though, because once Victoria sunk her teeth into Billie's arm, there was nothing but fire.

Agony was quick to follow.

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[ wyn's note ]

whomp whomp. seems like alice's predictions came true much quicker than anyone thought... and in such a traumatic way for our little miss sunshine :( oh what will she do :(

angst to follow! yikes don't kill me!

till the next one xx